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Notes: Hairston enjoys banner day

Notes: Hairston enjoys banner day

By Corey Brock
/
MLB.com |

PEORIA, Ariz. -- Scott Hairston nearly made the Arizona Diamondbacks pay dearly for trading him to division-rival San Diego last summer, as he hit eight home runs in just 87 at-bats following the trade.

Hairston continued to torment his former employer on Friday. He hit a leadoff home run off pitcher Doug Davis and later added a two-run double as the Padres knocked off the Diamondbacks, 6-3, in a Cactus League game at the Peoria Sports Complex.

"It's good to have that kind of day against any team, especially [against] your former teammates," Hairston said. "There's no bad feelings. I still have a lot of friends on the other side.

"It was nice to get something going. I felt really good."

Hairston jumped on a fastball from Davis on the first pitch he saw and later lined a double to left field in the second inning that scored two runs.

"I'm not going to throw a first pitch curveball or a cutter in Spring Training. Everybody knows that Scottie can hit a fastball and he's a good mistake pitch hitter and you know I threw two of them today and he capitalized on both of them," Davis said.

Hairston figures to get plenty of looks in center field with Jim Edmonds sidelined with a right calf strain for at least two to three weeks, if not longer.

China roster: The Padres announced their travel roster for their trip next week to Beijing, China, to play the Dodgers.

Manager Bud Black will make the trip as will coach Darrel Akerfelds, Randy Ready and Rick Renteria and bullpen catcher Justin Hatcher.

Young progressing: Four days after the birth of his first daughter, Padres pitcher Chris Young got the start on Friday against Arizona, tossing three scoreless innings with three strikeouts while facing the minimum nine batters.

Young said his fastball command was better than it was in his first start on Monday in Phoenix against the Brewers. He mixed in a few curveballs and got a foul ball and an out on a popup to Stephen Drew.

"That's another pitch I want to bring along," Young said. "I think at times I get away from it. It can be an effective pitch."

As for being a first-time father, Young said that he has been short on sleep while also working on his newfound fatherly duties.

"I changed a few diapers," Young joked. "It's a new experience for me. I think there's room for improvement to say the least."

Pitching inside: Aside from commanding his fastball Thursday as well as mixing in a few sliders and changeups, Padres pitcher Jake Peavy wanted to pitch inside against the Rockies -- just not too far inside.

"I was just trying to go in. Sometimes in Spring Training you don't want to run it in there and hit anybody," Peavy said. "If I go in there and hit [Troy] Tulowitzki or Matt Holliday ... you don't want that. But I wanted to work on throwing the ball in on righties."

Which was something he did more often than not in his second Cactus League start of the spring, though the one time he didn't, Tulowitzki made him pay for it, as he jumped on a fastball and knocked it over the fence in left field for a first-inning home run.

Friar notes: Outfielder Brian Giles will likely first test his surgically repaired knee in a Minor League game on March 14. If that go well, Giles could be used as a pinch-hitter when the Padres face the Rockies in Tucson on March 16 and the Diamondbacks on the 17th before possibly being used as a designated hitter against the White Sox March 18th. ... Mark Prior threw again on Friday, picking up the intensity as his pitch count has now grown to about 50. "He's passing every test," Black said.

Up next: The Padres hit the road to Surprise for a 12:05 p.m. PT game Saturday against the Texas Rangers. Greg Maddux makes his second start in Cactus League action. He's scheduled to throw three innings as is left-hander Wil Ledezma.

Corey Brock is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.